Raps make ESPN's 5 on 5 list. Not in a good way though!

4. Biggest disappointment of the first month of the season is … : http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/page/...storylines-nba see for yourself. I am actually surprises that the Raps got mentioned in this at all. Does that mean people in the NBA expected more of us? Wow our time to turn some head and it turned out being in the other direction.

Can we catch a break? Guess we are doomed! Kidding, but in all seriousness, we wanted to be talked about so now we are.

I don't know how this team is significantly worse than last years. It baffles me.

Raptors are quite the same team like they were last year, after injury Lowry isn't a big (if any) upgrade of Jose, Valanciunas lacks experience and strength. McGuire is probably even worse than James Johnson who at least brought some blocks, athleticism and energy. Somehow we are terrible in defence and team chemistry doesn't look that good like it was last year (maybe I'm wrong with the last statement)... The main difference is that last year we were tanking team and now we are playoff contenders (according to BC)

Casey's success last season was with his ability for his players to play defense. Bryan gave Casey a bonus because he was able to transform the team's defensive identity.

This year it seems to be all about offense, which has killed their defense. If Casey went back to what he did last year, things would be much different. The talent is marginally better than last year, but the decision making has become much worse.

Either that or all the other teams have scouted Toronto a lot better and know how to beat them.

Totally agree

The new players brought in, in my opinion, were upgrades over last season (Lowry>Bayless, Fields>Johnson, JV>Alabi/Magloire, Ross>Forbes {sorry, ceez}, McGuire>Butler).

I don't understand.

I thought at very least we would be as lousy as last year too. The funny thing is I thought our upgrades were just as good as the Nets...(insert fart noise). Preseason set my expectations way higher than they should have been.

Chemistry for sure. But I would argue that the injuries may have helped us (ie if LF wasnt hurt, no way that T Ross gets time .. who is clearly our best 2/3 after Demar). Its really, really frustrating.

I think the one thing that ppl are missing is that the rest of the league got a lot better (especially the bottom feeders). Charlotte, Nets in particular .. but still, it doesnt explain 3-12!

Maybe the biggest factor is that we have just lost so many close games .. 2 or 3 of the last posession games go our way and it doesnt look nearly as bad...

Chemistry for sure. But I would argue that the injuries may have helped us (ie if LF wasnt hurt, no way that T Ross gets time .. who is clearly our best 2/3 after Demar). Its really, really frustrating.

I think the one thing that ppl are missing is that the rest of the league got a lot better (especially the bottom feeders). Charlotte, Nets in particular .. but still, it doesnt explain 3-12!

Maybe the biggest factor is that we have just lost so many close games .. 2 or 3 of the last posession games go our way and it doesnt look nearly as bad...

3-13...

2 overtime losses (tied after 4q)

2 losses by 1 point (one of which the NBA has publically admitted was the ref's fault)

1 loss by 2 points

1 shot goes down instead of lipping out, or 1 reffing call goes our way or 1 more free throw is made (FT shooting has been dreadful thus far!) and the Raptors could very easily be 8-8, sitting in 8th place in the East, without even playing any better than they've played.

I know a loss is a loss, but it's optimism VS pessimism... and I really hope that DC can keep his young team from getting too pessimistic about their record, especially in light of the # of new starters (including 1 rookie), all the injuries and especially the fact that the Raptors have had one of the toughest schedules to start the season (which will be balanced out in Dec/Jan)... the sky is only falling if DC lets it fall.

I thought at very least we would be as lousy as last year too. The funny thing is I thought our upgrades were just as good as the Nets...(insert fart noise). Preseason set my expectations way higher than they should have been.

I assume you must haved mistyped. You thought that Lowry, JV LF and Ross would be as good as Joe Johnson, Lopez (back from injury) and Gerald Wallace this year? As much as I had hope for these guys, lowry is the only legit NBA player. Think what you might about JJ, GW and BL .. but they are all legit NBA players (JJ a legit allstar).

3 years from now .. maybe. Considering their contracts .. maybe. But this year on the court? No way ..

Chemistry for sure. But I would argue that the injuries may have helped us (ie if LF wasnt hurt, no way that T Ross gets time .. who is clearly our best 2/3 after Demar). Its really, really frustrating.

I think the one thing that ppl are missing is that the rest of the league got a lot better (especially the bottom feeders). Charlotte, Nets in particular .. but still, it doesnt explain 3-12!

Maybe the biggest factor is that we have just lost so many close games .. 2 or 3 of the last posession games go our way and it doesnt look nearly as bad...

A few more calls going our way would have had us in a lot better position. Think the guys are kind of pissed thing have gone the way they have call wise which has made things how they are so some degree!

I thought our upgrades were better. We upgraded with Lowry, JV, LF and Ross. They had Wallace for 1/4 of the season, so I wouldn't count him as a upgrade. I thought Lopez would be a step slow after being out for so long injured. So that left one big upgrade of Joe Johnson and I thought all our little upgrades would equal their one all star. So yeah, that was my line of thinking, I was wrong, and nope didn't mistype.